US President Donald Trump’s much-anticipated United Nations General Assembly address today comes on the back of his administration stopping all bill payments to the world body since January. According to UN, Washington owes the global body $3billion. According to a Bloomberg report, US was expected to contribute 22% UN budget of $3billion for 2025 . Whereas in 2023, US had paid overall for all UN umbrella organisations.
UN officials are also watching closely to see if the US, their biggest donor, will cut more funding after Trump and his team spent the first months of his term reducing international aid.
The US also stands isolated over its stand on Palestine with several of its key allies officially recognising the Palestinian state. These countries include France, Belgium, Monaco, Luxembourg and Malta. Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal. Leaders and diplomats from over 140 countries had gathered in New York on Monday, voting in favour of Palestinian statehood and pushing for peace in Gaza.
Trump’s highly anticipated UN speech
Trump’s appearance at the 80th UNGA coincides with increasing international concern over Gaza. His UN speech is highly anticipated as the US is still not in favour of the recognition of Palestinian statehood. He will have to face a largely critical audience, as more than half of UN member nations and key allies remain at odds with his administration over the ongoing war in Gaza.
According to an NYT report, even though it’s not known what he will say, but he could talk about topics including the two wars in Gaza and Ukraine and also hint at how he stopped the India-Pakistan war. He may refer to the escalating immigration crackdown at home and about the tariff policy he has introduced.
On his first day in office, Trump had signed an order withdrawing the US from the World Health Organisation (WHO). He later ended the country’s participation in the UN Human Rights Council and ordered a review of US membership in hundreds of international groups to see if they match his “America First” agenda.
US, Israel stand isolated as more countries recognise Palestine
As the conflict in the region nears its two-year mark, the Trump administration has found itself increasingly isolated. While many countries have criticized Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip, the US has continued to support Israel politically and militarily.
The Trump administration has shown no signs of changing its strong backing of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government. Recently, Trump indicated that the US disagrees with Britain’s plan to recognise a Palestinian state, but otherwise remains committed to Israel.
Instead of criticising Israel for remarks about potentially annexing the West Bank, a move that would violate international law, US officials have suggested that recognising a Palestinian state could encourage Hamas and provoke Israel’s response, a CNN report said.
Following meetings in Israel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday explained that the US believes some countries’ unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state has been counterproductive. “We actually think it’s undermined negotiations, because it emboldened Hamas, and we think it undermines future prospects of peace in the region. We thought it was unwise to do that, and I think you’re seeing that as a counterreaction,” he said.
‘Only solution that will allow for Israel to live in peace,’ says French President Macron
France is among several other Western countries that officially recognised a Palestinian state at the United Nations on Monday. The move pushes Israel’s international isolation as it continues its war in Gaza and expands settlements in the West Bank.
Speaking at the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron told the UN General Assembly that recognising a Palestinian state is the “only solution that will allow for Israel to live in peace,” calling the move a “defeat for Hamas.”
“We must do everything within our power to preserve the very possibility of a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security,” Macron said.
He added that recognising Palestinian rights “takes nothing away from the rights of the people of Israel, who France supported from day one.”
Mark Carney explains Canada’s recognition decision
On Sunday, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia jointly announced recognition of Palestine, joined later by Portugal. By Monday, more than 150 countries had declared Palestine a state. French President Emmanuel Macron, co-chairing a peace summit alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, followed suit:
“We must pave the way for peace,” Macron told delegates. “We must do everything within our power to preserve the very possibility of a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security.”
The announcement came as Israel’s current government reiterated its rejection of a Palestinian state, while continuing military operations in Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed about 1,200 people in Israel. According to Gaza health authorities, more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since then, and Israeli forces are now carrying out a long-threatened ground offensive in Gaza City.
Israel’s response
Israel, which, along with Washington, boycotted the UN session, condemned the recognition. “Those issues were supposed to be negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians in the future,” Israel’s UN envoy Danny Danon told reporters. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has vowed to destroy Hamas and reject any Palestinian state, is yet to meet President Donald Trump in Washington on Sept. 29 before returning to Israel.
The United States has warned allies of “consequences” for taking action against Israel, including against France for hosting the summit. Washington argues unilateral recognition will harden positions and complicate peace efforts.
A growing chorus for Palestine
Apart from France, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also voiced their support or Palestine. Sanchez, whose government recognised Palestine in 2024, told Reuters the recognition by France and Britain was “very important,” suggesting a big shift across Western countries.
Luxembourg, Malta, Belgium and Monaco also joined the recognition thread ahead of the UN General Assembly this week, following similar decisions by Britain, Canada and Australia.
Still, Germany and Italy, two of the continent’s largest economies, have resisted recognition. Berlin, mindful of its Holocaust responsibility, has grown more critical of Israel but insists recognition must follow a negotiated peace process.